Resolidify

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To harden or set into a solid state once more after having melted or liquefied
2. To turn back into a solid form after being in a liquid or soft condition
3. To congeal or become firm and solid again after a period of being fluid or pliable

Etymology: "Resolidify" is a plain compound: the prefix "re-", meaning "again" or "back to a former state," attached to "solidify." The prefix comes from Latin "re-," which English took through Old French and Middle English, while "solidify" is itself a later formation from the adjective "solid." So the word simply means to make something solid again, most often after it has melted, softened, or been broken up. Because the prefix is productive, speakers can attach "re-" to nearly any verb that describes a change of state, which is why "resolidify" sits comfortably beside words like "reharden" or "recongeal." The word needs no special history to explain it: its meaning comes directly from the two parts it is built from.

Synonyms: solidify

Antonyms: liquefy